Shanghai Incident: 28 January – 2 March 1932

Shanghai, early 1932. A faction within the Japanese army had been looking for a reason to push further into China. When tensions in the city rose, a small unit of naval infantry moved into the northern part of the city. But the Chinese troops reacted faster and more fiercely than expected. The first attack was pushed back, and only after five weeks of hard fighting and a steady stream of reinforcements did the Japanese take the city. You replay those five weeks in Shanghai Incident: 28 January – 2 March 1932. You play with the Fire & Movement system, built around mechanised warfare. Fast, well-trained units therefore have a clear advantage. When you attack, you can support your troops with firepower: from mortars and guns to light attack planes and heavy bombers. An attack that looked hopeless can turn around at the last moment, while a small unit backed by a heavy bombardment can suddenly hit very hard. The Japanese army has more experience and firepower, but the Chinese player has two divisions trained by German officers. Both sides suffer from a shortage of manpower, which is only eased once the Japanese player halts the advance for a while. So you always have to weigh time, space and numbers against each other. Whoever finds the best balance wins the battle for Shanghai.